The present invention relates to the field of outdoor ground-level fixtures and electrical devices, and more particularly to a stable, inexpensive post for supporting fixtures located in a landscape setting outdoors.
It is well known to mount various lights outdoors in order to provide illumination and decorative effects to a landscape. Various methods of mounting such lights are known as well, the most popular being a four-flanged spike driven into the ground and a cylindrical post with a slant-cut bottom. However, there still exists in the industry a need to provide mounting devices for lawn or landscape systems that are stable, durable, inexpensive, and easy to install and maintain and that provide a mounting surface for fixtures combined with a junction box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,877 to Carter discloses a plastic standard for supporting a light fixture adjacent to the ground. It includes a nonconductive plastic pipe with a removable cap and stabilizing plates secured to the outside of the pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,648 to Kakuk discloses a low voltage light fixture mounted on an integral stake/post assembly. The hollow post contains the conductors for the light and the post mounts to a flanged stake driven into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,139 to Poppenheimer discloses a lighting fixture that is mounted on a stake having a channel-like cross section that contains the conductor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,657 to Jensen discloses a service unit having a hollow body mounted on a supporting surface by a mounting means. The mounting means is typically an integrally base which can be bolted directly to a suitable structure such as a concrete base set in the ground. Mounted within the hollow body are power distribution means, power-metering means, and at least one lighting means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,435,124 to Channell discloses a pedestal and underground terminals for buried cable systems. An essentially cylindrical housing contains an upper portion that may be pressurized to keep out moisture, etc. The upper portion is mounted to a cylindrical stake with a cut out side to facilitate cable routing and affixation into the earth.
However, each of the systems and apparatuses disclosed above fails to solve the problems addressed by the present invention by providing a mounting device that enables connection of fixtures, provides a junction box for connection of electrical devices, and is constructed of a unitary body having easy access for connection of wiring, maintenance, and inspection.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, weatherproof enclosure for mounting fixtures upon the ground in a landscape setting.
It is another object to provide an enclosure that is easily secured in the ground.
It is another object to provide an enclosure that includes an Underwriters Labs (UL) listed box within the enclosure for easy mounting of electrical devices such as electrical receptacles.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a simple device for providing electrical services in a garden setting.
It is a further object to provide a device to mount both a light fixture and an electrical outlet in one location.
It is yet another object to make the enclosure and the ground securing device integral as one piece.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stable, durable system for mounting electrical devices close to the ground.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a mounting system for external systems that is easily maintained and accessed after installation.
It is indeed a further object to provide a mounting system with a minimum of separate parts and a primary unitary body structure.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mounting system for devices outdoors that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
These, and other objects, will become readily apparent to one of skill in the art having regard for this disclosure.
To accomplish the above objects and to solve the long felt need for a weatherproof, inexpensive, easily accessible mounting system, the applicant has devised a novel landscape fixture and outlet support post. The top of the post may be used for mounting devices that are typically exposed to the landscape surroundings such as lights, cameras, photocells to control lighting, and other similar devices. A UL-listed electrical box is provided within the enclosure for housing electrical receptacles, switches, ground fault circuit interrupters (xe2x80x9cGFCI""sxe2x80x9d) or any such similar devices that typically are secured within a UL-listed box.
The post in a preferred embodiment includes a basically elongated body of square cross section having a top and a bottom end. The top end includes an aperture through which various devices may be mounted or connected and the bottom end is tapered to provide an open pathway for running electrical cables into the enclosure. The body is essentially hollow but with a portion closed off to provide a UL-listed electrical outlet box. The outlet box is accessible from one side of the post by a service portal. The service portal is provided with a removable cover that is secured thereto. The elongated body includes integral radial projections that serve to stabilize and anchor the body in the ground.